In Touch 10-15-04

The Bible tells us to bring our requests to God (Philippians 4:6), and when we do, we of course desire they be fulfilled. Therefore, it's important that we understand what is required for prayers to be answered.

Today's passage says we can be confident God hears when we ask in accordance with His will. You may wonder, How can I know my petition lines up with His will? For starters, the Bible provides some clear guidelines. One example is 1 Thessalonians 4:3: "For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality." And verse 18 of the next chapter tells us, "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Many areas, however, are not so clear-cut, but Romans 12:2 gives guidance on how to discern - rather than conform to a worldly pattern of thinking, we are to let scriptural truth renew our minds. In that way, we "may prove what the will of God is."

When we pray about something that is not God's will, but we sincerely desire to know His mind on the matter, we'll often discover our interest in the request begins to wane. Eventually, we will probably cease praying about it or start to think, Lord, somehow I'm not too sure my request is of You. In this way, God honors our attempt to discover His will and gently moves us to His viewpoint. Do you have any unanswered prayers that might be outside of God's will? Ask the Lord to help you see your petition from His vantage point.

About In Touch Ministries

At In Touch Ministries, our mission is to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to strengthen the local church.

About Charles F. Stanley

Charles F. Stanley is the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New York Times best-selling author. While his teaching is transmitted throughout the world to millions of people, Dr. Stanley continues to demonstrate a practical, keen awareness of people’s needs and provide Christ-centered, biblically-based principles for everyday life.

Dr. Stanley’s motivation is best represented by the truth found in Acts 20:24, “Life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love.”